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Originally Posted by Jarrett
Oh, what precautions do you take when diving a lake that is shared with boats/jetskis?
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Drive a watertight Bradley tank across the bottom.
Just kidding...take a dive flag (it's the law) and be aware of your surroundings when you surface...listen for boat motors, look for boats, consult a ouija board before the dive for possible boat traffic patterns….
While we were close to the island and away from the bank at the end of Eagle Drive we had surfaced by the dive flag. A jet ski came by from the open part of the lake and saw us. He slowed down as he went through the area between the island and the bank but violated the distance rule of keeping 150 feet away from the dive flag. He could have easily went around the other side of the very small island.
Oklahoma dive flag regs. for boaters
We weren't in any danger as he saw us and drove around us slowly...except that there could have been another diver down that was surfacing. A lot of ppl. that drive boats and jet skis either don't know or just don't care about the dive flag rule. Some of them seem to use the dive flag as targets.
A couple of weeks ago Frank and I were talking to some divers at the "Dip" area of Steven's Gap that said they had a few boats come up close to their dive flag a few times and one of the divers talked to a Park Ranger. When they saw the Ranger show up the boats mysteriously disappeared to another part of the lake.
The majority of ppl. operating watercraft on lakes know what to do, are responsible, and will stay away from the dive flag.
Even though you have a dive flag don't trust everyone to honor it. Be aware of what's going on when you surface and you shouldn't have any problems.
I'm looking at going to CSSP this next weekend, maybe I'll see y'all there!